South Fayette pushes back school year start date due to eclipse

One Pittsburgh-area school district decided to delay the beginning of its new school year due to the upcoming solar eclipse.

South Fayette Township school board members voted Tuesday night to push back the start by one day – to Aug. 22 – according to The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

The school board determined that it would be "in the best interest" of the district's students to delay the starting day, the Tribune-Review reported.

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The original starting day, Aug. 21, will be used instead as an in-service day for staff and will be made up on April 27, said Superintendent Bille Rondinelli in an email to families.

According to the Tribune-Review, Rondinelli cited an expert who said the intensity and focus of the light is "so great on the retina that it can cook it."

The eclipse is expected to be visible in our area between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., its peak time coming around 2:30 p.m. Monday.

Rondinelli said the board discussed several options but landed on the one that would “guarantee the safety of our students.

Cox Media Group